Decision makers

Enough is Enough! Justice for two German Shepherd Puppies from Youngstown, Ohio

On January 30, 2012, authorities were called to a horrifying scene of animal abuse in Youngstown, Ohio. Behind a Western Reserve Transit Authority bus station, two 6 week old German Shepherd puppies lay dead in the snow. Around their necks and feet were an intricate system of knotted shoelaces, tied in such a way that every time these puppies struggled to get free, the noose around their necks tightened a little bit more. Between the strangulation, the freezing temperatues, and the snow-packed ground, these two puppies didn’t have a chance; they had been dead for hours by the time help arrived.

The man accused of this horrendous, soulless crime is William Bednar, a 53 year old homeless man who is no stranger to the legal system. He has been found guilty of animal cruelty twice before – once in 2000 and once already this year. While there is no record of his sentencing from the 2000 case, Bednar served jail time and is still on probation from his latter sentencing.

It’s easy to see that Bednar’s earlier convictions have done little, if anything, to deter him from committing such cruel acts against animals. Bednar’s evil and senseless crimes need to stop.

This petition asks that, if convicted of two counts of cruelty to companion animals, Bednar be sentenced to the maximum penalty available under law, and that he never be allowed to own animals.

This petition will be updated as more information becomes available; however, the intent will remain the same.

This petition was delivered to:

Judge, Youngstown Municipal CourtHon. Elizabeth Kobly

Letter to

Judge, Youngstown Municipal CourtHon. Elizabeth Kobly

We resepctfully request that, if William Bednar is convicted of two counts cruelty to companion animals, given his previous offenses, he be sentenced to the maximum penalty available under law, and that he never be allowed to own animals.